6 Tips for Sneaking Into Your Whitetail Stand

Whitetail hunters across the country are chomping at the bit in expectation of the whitetail rut. As you contemplate where to sit on each day during early and mid November — prime time! — consider these six tips for increasing your chances of success.

1: Plan to sit in your stand for 30 minutes prior to legal hunting hours. All whitetail hunters do the “backwards math” in planning when to set their morning alarm, when to leave camp, and when to begin walking to their treestand or ground blind prior to daybreak. Many deer hunters make the mistake of getting to their ambush location right at legal hunting time, or 5 to 10 minutes prior. This is too late, and here’s why: The majority of mature bucks are killed during the first hour of legal hunting time, which means 30 minutes prior to sunrise and the 30 minutes after sunrise. Deer will likely hear you sneaking to your stand in the darkness, and it takes them about 30 minutes to relax. You don’t want them on alert as legal hunting time arrives; you want them relaxed and moving normally.

2: Don’t move around getting your gear ready after stepping into your stand. Sit down immediately and be quiet because a deer could be listening. Wait 15 or 20 minutes in the dark before you complete your final gear preparation for the morning hunt and then do it quietly. Any deer that heard you walk in will think that danger has passed if you’re quiet after getting in your stand. Listen for them to move off, and when the woods are silent, then quietly prep your gear for first shooting light.

3: Remove debris from your access trail — this should be done prior to the rut! There’s nothing you can do about fallen leaves cluttering your access trail. Even raking a clear path a week prior won’t make much of a difference because new leaves will fall to the ground or blow in. What you can do, however, is remove branches and logs in the trail so you don’t snap one in the dark. Also trim your access path wide enough so you don’t snag your bow or clothing on brush.

4: Use reflective tacks to find your way. Hopefully you’ve planned a smart access route to your ambush location prior to the rut. Press reflective (glow in the dark) tacks into trees and stumps so you can follow a dot-to-dot pattern without stepping off your cleared trail. Use a dim flashlight and keep it pointed as low to the ground as possible. If you hear a deer, don’t stop. If you see a deer, don’t stop. (See tip No. 5 below.) Several companies make reflective tacks; I’ve had good luck with white HME Reflective Tacks.

5: Walk at a slow and steady pace — no stopping! Deer that hear you walking but can’t see or smell you won’t necessarily flee. Often they’ll simply listen in an attempt to decipher whether you’re dangerous to them. If you walk slowly, steadily and quietly, then they will probably stand and listen — they probably think you’re another deer, a raccoon, etc. If you quietly climb into your stand, and then the noise stops (see tip No. 2 above), they’ll likely think you were a raccoon and go about their business. If you walk and stop, walk and stop, however, they will most certainly flee or move away from you. The reason is predators such as coyotes, wolves and bears often stop while staking prey.

6: Plan your access route through thick cover. Because whitetails can see as well after dark as they can during daylight, you should avoid, if possible, walking through open areas where you can be spotted. Deer will probably hear you, but if they can’t see you, then they likely won’t flee. Another benefit of walking to your stand through thick cover is it’s easier to stay on a marked trail. Think about it: In open terrain, where can you press in a reflective tack?